Utica (1-0) vs. Union (0-0) - Adirondack Bank Mini-Football Giveaway
Game Details	Saturday, Sept. 14| Utica, N.Y. | 7 p.m.   Charles A. Gaetano Stadium | Directions
Game Coverage	All Access: Audio (ESPN) | Audio (WPNR) I Live Video I Live Stats  Radio: WTLB 99.1 FM/1310 AM - ESPN Radio, WPNR 90.7 FM Tweet #LetsGoUC
Utica Links	News | Roster | Schedule
Union Links	News | Roster | Schedule

Utica, N.Y. (9/3/2013) – The Utica College football team is set to host the Adirondack Bank Mini-Football Giveaway at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium as the Pioneers square off against visiting Union College on Saturday night at 7 p.m.  The first 2,500 fans through the gates will receive a free mini-football courtesy of Adirondack Bank.

BROADCAST INFO: All Utica College games will be broadcast on the radio at WTLB 99.1 FM/1310 AM (ESPN Radio) by play-by-play man Dave Peroni and color analyst Fred Miller … Links for live stats and video for Saturday's contest are available on the Pioneers schedule page at www.ucpioneers.com … Live streaming audio can also be accessed on WTLB's website, www.espnur.com … UC's student radio station WPNR 90.7 FM will broadcast every UC football home contest this season and live streaming audio of the contest can be accessed at www.utica.edu/wpnr ... Live video for today's contest can be accessed at www.empire8.tv. 

SOCIAL MEDIA: If you can't make it out to the game make sure to follow live updates on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers … If you are at the game on Twitter, or talking about the game on Twitter, make sure to use #LetsGoUC … You can also "Like" the Pioneers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCpioneers. 

GET THE APP: All UC football broadcasts can be heard on the new My Hometown Sports App. available in the Google Play store and on Apple ITunes ... It's a free App. so download today!

OPENING WEEKEND: The Utica College football team jumped out to a 42-6 lead in the first three quarters of play and never looked back as it went on to defeat visiting Lewis & Clark College (Portland, Oregon) 42-22 in the season-opener for both squads at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium last Saturday … UC amassed 470 yards of total offense and junior quarter back Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) completed 26-of-35 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns to lift the Pioneers to a season-opening victory for the fifth consecutive season … The Pioneers have scored at least 40 points in each of their last five season opening contests.

LAST TIME AGAINST UNION:  UC graduate and current assistant coach Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) tied a school-record after he tossed five touchdowns to lead the Utica College football team to a 45-17 road win over Union College last year at Frank Bailey Field … Utica has now topped its liberty league rival in two consecutive seasons … The Pioneer defense came to play once again as they held the Dutchmen to just 17 points and less than 400 yards of total offense … Joe Giametta (Seaford, NY/MacArthur) racked up a game-high 16 tackles.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Utica holds a 2-0 all-time series advantage over the Dutchmen … The first time these two teams met was in 2011 at Gaetano when the Pioneers won 28-27. 

RECORDS TO WATCH FOR: Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) needs 25 yards rushing to join backfield-mate Jesse Baldassare (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) as one of just four running backs in school-history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a career … Larson needs five touchdowns this year to become the College's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns … Larson currently has 13 touchdowns … Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) now needs 56 yards receiving to become the seventh receiver in school-history to break the 1,000 yard receiving barrier … Murphy needs eight more catches to become one of just six players in school-history to catch over 100 balls … Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) moved into fourth place on the College's all-time receiving yards list last weekend and he now has 1,614 career receiving yards  … Acevedo needs 12 catches to move into sole possession of third place on the College's all-time receptions list … Acevedo needs three touchdown catches to move into second place on the College's career list … Acevedo needs 11 all-purpose yards to move into sole possession of third place on the College's all-time all-purpose yards list … He is currently one of only five players in school-history with over 2,000+ all-purpose yards in a career … Both Acevedo and Larson need to score four touchdowns to become the fourth and fifth players in school-history to score more than 100 points in a career … Thomas Woodburn (West Islip, NY/West Islip) moved into fourth place on the College's all-time PAT kicks made list last weekend …  Woodburn is the now the third kicker in school-history to make more than 10 field goals in a career … Junior safety James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) needs two interceptions to move into sole possession of second place on the College's all-time interceptions list … Senior linebacker Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden) is now the eighth player in school-history to record 100+ career assisted tackles. 

JAKE THE SNAKE: Senior all-conference running back Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) had a big day for UC in his first start since a knee injury kept him out of the lineup for the entire 2012 season … Larson finished the day with 124 yards rushing on 24 carries and two touchdowns … For his efforts he was named the College's Male Athlete of the Week … Larson is the College's all-time career leader with an average of 88.6 rushing yards per game … Prior to his injury, in 2011, Larson rushed for 851 yards on 167 carries and 11 touchdowns, which earned him Empire 8 Conference second team honors ... Larson's 2011 campaign was highlighted by back to back performances of over 150 rushing yards against Hartwick and RPI, as well as a 102 yard, three touchdown performance against Ithaca as the Pioneers defeated the Bombers for the first time in program history.

ACE OF THE STAFF: Junior receiver Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) caught seven balls for 85 yards in his return to the gridiron Saturday … In 18 career games, Acevedo averages 6.22 catches per game, which is a school-record … Acevedo is also the College's all-time leader with an average of 121.7 all-purpose yards per game.

BURNETT SHINES IN FIRST COLLEGIATE GAME: Freshman running back Ryan Burnett (Mount Vernon, NY/Arch Bishop Stepinac) had an excellent first game for UC as he compiled 82 yards on 12 carries and crossed the goal line for his first career touchdown … He averaged a team-best 6.8 yards per carry. 

BUTKIEWICZ LOOKING SHARP: Junior quarterback Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) proved he could step into the starting role on Saturday as he completed 26-of-35 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns in his first collegiate start under center … His longest completion was 21 yards and he only threw one interception … He has a career completion percentage rate of 71.4%.   

MURPHY'S LAW: Senior wide receiver Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) caught a team-high ten receptions for 96 yards in the Pioneers season opener last weekend … Murphy currently has 92 career catches for 944 yards and eight touchdowns in 20 games played.

DEFENDING GAETANO: The Pioneers have been above .500 (3-2) on their home turf in each of the last three season … UC has won three of its last four games at home dating back to last season. 

GERBINO CATCHING TD'S: Senior wide receiver Joseph Gerbino (Mahwah, NJ/Mahwah) caught a touchdown before the half last weekend and now has three career touchdowns catches … He has caught 14 balls for 122 yards in 19 career games played. 

HANSEN STEPPING UP: Senior linebacker Ryan Hansen (Woodcliff Lake, NJ/Pascack Hills) totaled a team-best ten tackles last weekend, including 1.5 tackles for a loss of six yards … One of his tackles for-a-loss was on fourth down, causing a turnover which led to the Pioneers scoring before halftime against Lewis & Clark … He now has 64 career tackles in 17 games played. 

STAY AWAY FROM LENAHAN: Junior safety James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) was the only player in the Empire 8 to record two interceptions last weekend … In just 13 career games he has seven interceptions and ten pass deflections to go along with 43 career tackles. 

THE GOLDEN FOOT:  UC sophomore kicker Thomas Woodburn (West Islip, NY/West Islip) converted on 4-of-5 extra point opportunities last weekend (one blocked) … He also connected on both of his field goal attempts of 31 and 21 yards, respectively … Woodburn also averaged 53.5 yards per kickoff … Woodburn has made 10-of-13 career field goal attempts. 

OFFENSIVE LINE GETTING IT DONE: The Pioneers' offensive line allowed just one sack in their regular season debut last weekend … The front five also helped UC compile 227 yards rushing on 46 carries.

BY THE NUMBERS: Last week against Lewis & Clark, Utica racked up 31 first downs compared to its opponents 22 … 19 of the Pioneers first downs were developed through the ground game …  Utica amassed 227 rushing yards compared to L & C's 94 … UC averaged 4.9 yards per carry as a team … UC posted 470 yards of total offense for an average gain per play of 5.6 yards.

CONVERTING ON 3^RD DOWN: The Pioneers converted on 10-of-14 third down attempts last weekend and they were not forced to go for it on fourth down the entire contest. 

DEFENSE STANDING STRONG: The UC defense stopped Lewis & Clark on 4-of-6 fourth down chances last Saturday … The Utica starting defense caused seven turnovers (four on downs, two interceptions, one fumble recovery) in the first three quarters of play. 

FLAGGED: Head Coach Blaise Faggiano and the Pioneers would like to see the team take less penalties after committing 11 for a total of 111 yards last weekend.  

TOUGH AS IT GETS: Four of the Pioneers opponents are either ranked or receiving votes in the current D3football.com National Poll … UC will take on No. 7 Hobart, #19 St. John Fisher, Salisbury (receiving votes), and Buffalo State (receiving votes).

YOUR 2013 CAPTAINS: At the end of training camp the Pioneers named their captains for the 2013 season … The four senior captains include linebacker Joe Giametta (Seaford, NY/MacArthur), follow linebacker Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden), wide receiver Joseph Gerbino (Mahwah, NJ/Mahwah) and running back Jesse Baldassare (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai).

SCOUTING UNION: Saturday's game marks the season-opener for the visiting Dutchmen of Union College … After losing their first three games of the season last year Union went on a tear, winning six of their final seven games … The Dutchmen were selected to finish second in the Liberty Preseason Coaches' Poll … Union entered the 2012 campaign with an inexperienced quarterback, but that will not be the case this season as junior Connor Eck had a breakout season in his first year as a starter, throwing for 1,914 yards with 17 touchdowns and only three interceptions … Eck also rushed for 379 and four touchdowns … He will lead a potent offense that also welcomes back All-Liberty League first-team selections, senior running back T.J. Franzese and junior wide receiver Kyle Reynolds … The defense will look to replace seven starters from last season's unit that ranked second in the league (318.5 yards per game) … Union averaged 29.5 points per game last year and nearly 400 yards of total offense … The Dutchmen featured a very balanced offense last season, recording and average of 196.5 rushing yards per game and 195.6 passing yards per game … The Dutchmen were particularly potent in the second quarter last season, outscoring their opponents 95-58 in the 15 minute stretch.